rigbees's reviews
309 reviews

The New Life by Tom Crewe

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Not normally a historical fantasy reader, but picked this up for a book club. Excellent use of time period for the story - felt very prescient for our current political moment as well.

She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore

DANG I wish my copy didn't have the  world's SMALLEST print. I ended up struggling to read it because of that. It took me several months to get through it, which seems like a pity because the story and writing challenged me in ways that I found thought provoking and worthwhile. I found the blending of the fantastic and the desperate to work really well.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

As good as ya gets for me! Really enjoyed how well the author used the historical setting. It was a well selected time. The characters all felt well developed and the conflict was compelling. Definitely happy this is in circulation in the world!

Blackouts by Justin Torres

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Interesting book and technique for telling the story, but it seemed to fade away instead toward the end. Still mulling on this one. Glad I read it, would generally recommend it, but it's not a book that goes down easy.

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Good god this was good

The Mars House by Natasha Pulley

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Ugh I loved this book so much until the end. It felt like it didn't kmow how to stick the landing. Disappointing,  but I would check out a future book by the author.

This book blends different genre conventions and basically flips through them. I really like how it worked structurally!

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Billed a s novel, but each chapter is a standalone narrative with links to the others. They tell the story of an apocalyptic pandemic over time. One of those books that feels like it's able to speak to the trauma of the pandemic, both in its acute stage and it's transformational stage. 

Beautiful writing.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Extremely Proper Noun heavy political fantasy. Makes my sociologist brain itch in a good way, since it's so focused on systems of power. Interesting ending - curious to read the rest of the trilogy.

True Biz by Sara Nović

hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

From the Belly by Emmett Nahil

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Enjoyable whale horror story with a gay subplot; delighted by the book and would recommend it to anyone who thinks the premise is a good hook